Air conditioning apparatus



April 5, 1960 A. T. couRT AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1957 INVENTOAQ.

April 5, 1960 A. T. COURT 2,931,560

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed May 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. flfi/rew 7, Caurf.

2,931,560 AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS" Andrew T. Court, permit, Mich. 7

Application May 29, 1957, Serial No. 662,505 20 Claims. c1. zso--z This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus for cooling or circulating the air within a room or space to be conditioned. The invention is particularly directed to an air conditioning apparatus having an air circulating and heat exchange means of novel construction which is: characterized by the absence of the usual evaporator and condenser and the refrigerant circulated therein which are employed in conventional air conditioning systems, and

which employs a single motor for the dual purpose of cooling or circulating the air.

The present air conditioning apparatus is adapted to be positioned within a window or other opening into a room to be conditioned and includes an air circulating means adapted to withdraw air from the room to be conditioned and to recirculate such air back into the room. The air, circulating means may comprise a multi-stage compressor and a heat exchange means may be associated with the compressor to cool'corfnpressed air drawn from the room to about inside ambient air temperatures, whereupon subsequent expansion of the air as it is discharged back into the room will cool the air to below room temperature. According to the present invention the heat exchange function is performed by a blower whose blades may be integral with or form extensions of certain of the compressor blades. The blower is adapted to pump outside air'therethrough to subtract heat from its blades and consequently from the blades forming one stage of the compressor, preferably the last stage, so as to cool the compressed air to about ambient temperatures. The invention isfurther characterized by the fact that the air circulating means will function as acompressor only when rotated in one direction, and when driven in the opposite direction, it will not function as a compressor, in which case the blower is adapted to circulate outside air into the space to be conditioned. The invention further includes a novel form of pressure responsive valve whose position is determined by the outlet pressure in the compressor. A novel control responsive to temperature differences between the outside air and the room air may be connected into the motor circuit to drive the motor in one direction or the other, depending upon the relative temperature conditions, so that the apparatus will either circulate outside air directly into the room to be conditioned or withdraw room air and circulate it back into the room. The position of the pressure responsive valve, which is adapted to open or close the communication between the blower outlet and the room, is determined by the pressure existing nited States Patent in 2,931,560 Cg Patented Apr. 5, 1960 2 air conditioning device which is simple in construction and economical 'to manufacture and to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning apparatuswhich is adapted to circulate the air within a space to be conditioned or to force cooler outside air into the space, depending upon the temperature I ings, of which there are twosheets, which by way of illustration show a preferred embodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying the principles of my invention. Other embodiments of the invention may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view through an air conditioning apparatus constructed according to the present invention and taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with parts broken away of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram illustrating the control cir:

cuit for the apparatus; and r at the compressor outlet which is in turn determined by- Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the. air circulating and heat exchange device employed in the present invention.

Referring'more particularly to the drawings, the air conditioning apparatus is adapted to be positioned within a window or other suitable opening in an outside wall 10 of a room orother'space to be conditioned. The apparatus includes a'casing structure having an inner end 12 directed into the room and an outer end 14 terminating at the outer side of the wall 10. The casing structure includes a peripheral wall 16 and a partition 18 at its outer end defining a central air inlet 20 and a surrounding annular air outlet 22. t

The casing structure includes a scroll 24 suitably supported from the peripheral wall 16 and having an axially directed outlet 26 directed into the space to be conditioned. The scroll 24 is spaced inwardly from the peripheral wall 16 to define an annular air outlet 28 leading from the interior 'of the casing into the room.

A reversible electric motor 30 is mounted on a platform 32 suitably supported within the casing. The motor shaft 34 has its outer end supported in a bearing 36 formed on a fixed support 38. The motor 30 is adapted to drive an air circulating means 40 in either direction of rotation. The air circulating means 40 includes a radially extending end wall 44 secured on the shaft 34 for rotation therewith, and the outer edge of the wall 44 rotates within a channel formed by an annular plate 46 secured at the edge of one wall of the scroll 24. Suitable sealing means may be employed between the rotating wall 44 and the inner wall of the scroll 24. The air circulating means 40 has a plurality of series of axially directed blades 48 secured thereon for rotation therewith. The series of blades 48 alternate in a radial direction with similar blades 50 secured on an annular plate 52 connected by a spider 54 to a central hub 56. The outer edge of the plate 52 is adapted to rotate in sealing engagement with a wall of the scroll 24. A one-way clutch or similar device indicated at 60 is disposed between hub 56 and the fixed bearing 36 so that the hub 56 and the plate 52 withits blades 50 carriedthereby can rotate freely with the motor shaft 34 in one direction only and will be restrained from rotation when torque is applied in the opposite direction of rotation. The inlet to the series of blades 48, 50 is formed in the end plate 52 and communicates with the space to be conditioned.

The blades 62 forming the last stage of the air circulating means 40 are illustrated as being of substantially greater radial extent than the blades 48 and 50. When the motor is driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, the end plate 52 and the blades 50 carried thereby will be held against rotation by the one-way clutch device 60 so that the blades 48 and 50 will function as a compressor to withdraw air from the room, compress the air and then discharge the compressed air through the outlet 26 from the scroll 24. It is to be understood that the number of stages employed in the compressor may be varied from that shown in the drawings and that the compressor is only schematically illustrated in the drawings.

The inner segment of blades 62 and blades 48 are extended through the end wall 44 to form the blades 70 of a blower 72. The blades 70 are preferably integral with certain of the compressor blades as described and are preferably made of material having good heat conducting properties. The ends of blades 70 are supported by an end plate 74 defining the air inlet to blower 72.

The radial wall 44 and the blades 48, 62 and 70 will all be driven with the motor 30 in either direction of rotation. The blades 50 carried by the end plate 52 will be held against rotation by the one-way clutch 60 in one direction of rotation of the motor 30 so that the blades 48, 50 will form a compressor as previously described. However, when the motor isdriven in the opposite direction, the end plate 52 and the blades 50 will be caused to rotate with the compressor blades by the air circulated by the latter, so that'the device will not then function as a compressor.

The blower 72 has its outlet positioned'to directthe air pumped thereby either through the outlet 28 into the room or through the outside outlet 22. "A pressure responsive valve 80 in the form of anannular gate has one edge secured to an annular rib 82 formed on the inner periphery of the casing. The valve body or gate 80 may be formed of rubber or other suitable flexible material and is adapted to extend across the inner end of annular passageway 22 with the inner edge 84 sealingly engaging the annular partition 18 to close the communication between the outlet from blower 72 and passageway 22. In this position of the valve 80, illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the outside air pumped by blower 72 is discharged through outlet 28 into the room to be conditioned. The valve 80 has a second position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in which the inner edge 84 of the valve engages the back wall of the scroll 24 to close air outlet 28 and to open the communication between blower 72 and the outlet 22.

blower 72 and outlet 22. When the apparatus is operating in this manner, air from the space to be conditioned will be compressed and the temperature of such air will rise due to its compression. The blower 72 will at such time circulate outside air through inlet over the blades 70 for discharge through outlet 22. The blades 70 and the compressor blades which are integral therewith have a relatively large surface area to form a heat exchange means for withdrawing heat from the compressed air in the final stage of the compressor. Since the outside air will be considerably cooler than the compressed air in the final stage of the compressor, such compressed air will be cooled to about ambient air temperatures and subsequent expansion and discharge of the compressed air will cause rapid cooling to below the temperature of the air within the space to be conditioned. The apparatus thus withdraws air from the room and discharges it back into the room at a lower temperature, and also provides an evaporative cooling effect due to recirculation of room air.

When the motor is driven in the opposite direction, blades 58 will be caused to rotate with blades 48 and 62 but due to the shape of the scroll 24 and the angle of the several series of blades relatively little air will be circulated through the outlet 26. The pressure within the scroll will therefore be insufficient to inflate the valve actuating chamber 9% and the valve 80 will assume the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 in which it The valve body 80 has an annular bead 86 to which is 7 connected, either integrally or otherwise, an annular wall 88 which extends between the bead 86 and the inner periphery of casing 16 to form an inflatable chamber 90. A flexible conduit 92 has one end opening into the inflatable chamber 90 audits other end 94 projecting into a high pressure zone of the scroll 24 so as to communicate pressure to the valve actuating chamber 90.

When the motor 30,is driven in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, the blades 50 will remain stationary due to the one-way. clutch while the blades 48 and 62 and the blower 72 will be driven with the motor, The air circulating means 40 will then function as a compressor and the relatively high pressure existing in the compressor will be communicated to valve actuating chamber 90 through conduit 92 to inflate thechamber to cause the flexible walls 88 and 80 to assume the dotted-line positions shown in Fig. 1, in which the valve closes the outlet 28 and opens, communicationbetween closes outlet 22 and permits outside air to be discharged from blower 72 through outlet 28 into the space to be conditioned. Suitable wires or the like may be imbedded in the material. forming the valve body or other suitable means provided if desired in order to insure that the valve returns to its original condition after being inflated. Suitable shutters 98 may extend across the air inlet 20 to protect the apparatus from the weather and to close the inlet 20 when the apparatus is not in use. The shutters 98 may be either manually or automatically operable. A filter .(not shown) may be placed across the inlet 20 to filter outside air if desired.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a section of the air circulating means 40 showing the turbine blades 62 formed integrally with the blower blades 70 to provide good heat transfer from blades 62 to blades 70. Each of the blades 48, 50 and 62 has at its free end a suitable seal means as indicated schematically at 100 to form a seal between'the successive stages of the compressor.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a wiring diagram for controlling the direction of rotation of motor 30 in accordance with prevailing temperature conditions. When the outside air is relatively cool, it will be desirable to operate the apparatus in such manner that blower 72 circulates the cooler outside air directly into the room through outlet 28. The motor should then be driven in a counterclockwise direction so that blades 50 rotate with the blades 48 and 62 whereby valve 80 remains in the position shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the control system may include a temperature responsive device which comprises an elongated tube having downwardly turned ends 112 and 114 opening into bulbs 116 and 118, respectively, with'the bulb 116 located in the atmosphere outside and bulb 118 located within the space to be conditioned. The tube 120 is filled with a suitable liquid which also partially fills the bulbs 116 and 118. When the outside temperature is lower than the temperature within the room to be conditioned, the vapor pressure within bulb 118 will exceed that within bulb 116 to force the liquid out of bulb 113 through tube 120 into bulb 116, whereupon the device will assume the position shown in Fig. 3. A mercury switch 122 is secured on the tube 120 and when the tube is tilted into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, the mercury will bridge a pair of contacts to close a circuit from one power line 126 through line 128, the mercury tube 122, line 130 and throughfield winding 132 to the other lead 134 to operate the motor in one direction.

When the temperature of the outside air exceeds room temperature, the vapor pressure in bulb 116 will exceed that in bulb 118 so that liquid will be forced into the latter bulb to tilt the temperature responsive device 110 into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 in which the mercury switch 122 will close a circuit from line 126 through switch 122, line 138 and coil 140 to energize the motor in the opposite direction, whereupon the air circulating means 40 will function as a compressor to actuate valve 80 to its dotted-line position and effect circulation of cooling air over blades 70 to withdraw heat from the blades 62 and the compressed air in heat ex-..

change relation therewith prior. to expansion and dis charge of air into the space to be conditioned. Any other suitable control system may be employed in place of that illustrated in Fig. 3.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details setforth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

'I claim:

1. Apparatus for increasing the comfort of an 'enclosed living space by the circulation of air, comprising an air circulating means having communications with said space and with the air outside said space, said air circulating means including a series of blades for circulating outside air into said space and alternatively for recirculatingthe air within said space, and means for operating said air circulating means including an electric motor and temperature responsive control means for automatically controlling operation of said air circulating means in accordance with the temperature differential between the outside air and the air within said space so as to circulate outside air into said space when the outside air is at a lower temperature than the air within said space and to recirculate the air within said space when the latter is at a lower temperature than the outside air.

2. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a compressor including a radially extending end wall and a series of axially extending blades, certain of the compressor blades being secured to said wall and extending through said wall to be disposed outside of said compressor, said compressor being operable to withdraw air from the space to be conditioned and to compress the same, the extended portions of said blades effecting circulation of air thereover upon operation of said compressor to withdraw heat from said blades and thereby cool the compressed air in the compressor, and a discharge scroll forming the outlet from said compressor and arranged to permit expansion and discharge of said cooled compressed air into the space to be conditioned.

3. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a multi-stage compressor having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the space to be conditioned, said compressor including a series of blades and being operable to withdraw air from the'space to be conditioned and to compress the same, the blades forming the last stage of the compressor being extended outside said compressor, the extended portions of said blades effecting circulation of air thereover upon operation of said compressor to withdraw heat from said blades and thereby cool the compressed air in said compressor, said compressor having its outlet arranged to permit expanison and discharge of the cooled compressed air into the space to be conditioned after said air leaves said last stage.

. 4. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a compressor having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the space to be conditioned, said compressor being operable to withdraw air from the space to be conditioned and to compress the same, said compressor including a series of blades extended outside said compressor, the extend- 6 ed portions of said blades being cooled by the circula tion of air thereover upon operation of said compressor thereby to cool the compressed air in said compressor, said compressor having its outlet arranged to permit expansion and discharge of the cooled compressed air into the space to be conditioned after said air passes said blades.

5. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a compressor having a radially extending end wall, said compressor including a series of blades secured to said wall, said blades extending through said wall to be disposed outside of said compressor, said compressor being operable to withdraw air from the space to be conditioned and to compress the same, the extended portions of said blades effecting circulation of a cooling medium thereover upon operation of said compressor to withdraw heat from said blades and thereby cool the compressed air in the compressor, and said compressor having its outlet arranged to permit expansion and discharge of said air into the space to be conditioned after the air passes said blades. 6. Air conditioning apparatus comprising casing structure defining at one end an air inlet and an air outlet, both communicating with the atmosphere, a multistage compressor in said casing having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the space to be conditioned, said casing having a second outlet opening into said space, a reversible electric motor for driving said compressor, said compressor including a radially extending end wall driven with said motor and a plurality of axially extending blades carried by said wall for rotation therewith, certain of said blades extending through said end wall to form the blades of a blower having its inlet communicating with said inlet to said casing and its outlet communicating with both said outlets from said casing, and a valve means operable in one position to close the communication between said blower outlet and said first outlet from said casing, said valve means being operable in another position thereof to close communication between said blower outlet and said second outlet from said casing.

7. Air conditioning apparatus comprising casing structure defining at one end an air inlet and an air outlet,

both communicating with the atmosphere, a compressor.

lets from said casing while opening the communication between said blower outlet and the other outlet from said casing.

8. Air conditioning apparatus comprising casing structure defining at one end an air inlet and an air outlet,

both communicating with the atmosphere, a compressor.

in said casing having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the space to be conditioned, said casing having a second outlet opening into said space, a reversible motor for driving saidcompressor, said compressor including a radially extending end wall driven with said motor and a plurality of blades carried by said wall for rotation therewith, certain of said blades extending through said end wall to form the blades of a blower having its inlet communicating with said inlet to said casing and its outlet communicating with both said outlets from said casing, and a valve means operable in one position to close one of said casing outlets and operable in another position thereof to close the other casing outlet. 7

9. Air conditioning apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said valve means comprises a pressure responsive valve, and conduit means communicating said valve with the compressor outlet.

10. Air conditioning apparatus comprising casing structure defining an air inlet and an air outlet both communicating with the atmosphere, an air circulating device in said casing having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the space to be conditioned, said casing having a second outlet opening into said space, a reversible motor for driving said air circulating device, said device including a plurality of series of blades, means providing a one-Way driving connection between said motor and certain of the series of blades whereby said device will function as a compressor when said motor is driven in.

one direction only, certain of said blades being extended to form the blades of a blower having its inlet communicating with said inlet to said casing and its outlet communicating with both said outlets from said casing, and a valve means operable when said motor is driven in said one direction to close the communication between said blower outlet and said second outlet from said casing, said valve means being operable when said motor is driven in the opposite direction to close communication between said blower outlet and said first outlet from said casing while opening said second casing outlet.

11. Air conditioning apparatus according to claim 10 including a pressure responsive actuating means for said valve means, and means communicating the pressure generated by said air circulating device, as determined by its direction of rotation, to said valve actuating means.

12. Air conditioning apparatus comprising casing structure defining an air inlet and an air outlet both communicating with the atmosphere, a compressor in said casing having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the space to be conditioned, said casing having a second outlet opening into said space, a reversible motor for driving said compressor, said compressor including a radially extending end wall driven with said motor and a plurality of blades carried by said wall for rotation therewith in either direction, certain of the remaining blades of the compressorhaving a one-way driving connection with said motor whereby said last-mentioned blades rotate with said first-mentioned blades in one direction only and remain stationary when said motor is driven in the opposite direction, certain of said firstmentioned blades extending through said end wall to form the blades of a blower having its inlet communicating with said inlet to said casing and its outlet communicating with both said outlets from said casing, and a valve means operable in one position to close the communication between said blower outlet and first outlet from said casing, said valve means being operable in another position thereof to close communication between said blower outlet and said second outlet from said casing.

13. Air conditioning apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said valve means includes a pressure responsive actuating device for moving said valve means between said two positions, and means communicating the pressure in said compressor outlet to said pressure responsive actuating device.

14. Air conditioning apparatus comprising casing structure defining at one end an air inlet and an air outlet, both communicating with the atmosphere, said casing having a second outlet opening into the space to be conditioned, a reversible electric motor, a radially extending end wall driven with said motor and a first series of blades carried by said wall for rotation therewith, a second series of blades and means providing a one-way driving connection between said motor and said second series of blades, said one-way connection permitting rotation of said second series of blades with said first series in one direction of rotation of said motor, said one-way connection holding said second series of blades stationary when said motor is driven in the oppo-' site direction whereby the two series of blades function;

as a compressor to withdraw air from the space to be conditioned and to compress such air, certain of the blades of said first series extending through said end wall to form the blades of a blower having its inlet communieating with said inlet to said casing and its outlet communicating with both said outlets from said casing, and a valve means operable in one position to close the communication between said blower outlet-and said first outlet from said casing, said valve means being operable in another position thereof to close communication between said blower outlet and said second outlet from said casing. 7

15. Air conditioning apparatus according to claim 14 including means for positioning said valve means in accordance with the direction of rotation of said motor.

16. Air conditioning apparatus according to claim 15 including a temperature responsive control for controlling the direction of rotation of said motor.

17. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing structure having at one end an air inlet and an air outlet both communicating with the space to be conditioned, said casing having an outside air inlet and a second air outlet into the space to be conditioned, an air circulating means in said casing including a series of blades operable for circulating air from said space through said first-mentioned inlet and outlet, and a second series of blades operable for circulating outside air into said space through said second air outlet, a single electric motor for selectively operating said air circulating means, and a temperature responsive control means for controlling operation of said motor and said air circulating means driven thereby in accordance with the temperature differential between the outside air and the space to be conditioned.

18. Air conditioning apparatus having at one end an air inlet and an air outlet both communicating with the space to be conditioned, and an outside air inlet and a second air Outlet into said space, an air circulating:

means operable in one direction of rotation for circulating air from said space through said first-mentioned inlet and outlet, and operable in the other direction of rotation for circulating outside air into said space through said second air outlet, and a single reversible electric motor for selectively operating said air circulating means in either direction of rotation.

19 Air conditioning apparatus according to claim 18 including a temperature responsive control means for controlling the direction of rotation of said motor and said air circulating means driven thereby in accordance with the temperature differential between the outside air and the space to be conditioned.

20. .Air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing structure having at one end an air inlet and an air outlet both communicating with the space to be conditioned, said casing having an outside air inlet and a second air outlet into the space to be conditioned, an air circulating means in said casing including a series of blades operable in one direction of rotation of said air circulating means for circulating air from said space through said first-mentioned inlet and outlet, and a second series of blades operable in the other direction of rotation of said air circulating means for circulating outside air into said space through said second air outlet, a single re versible electric motor for selectively rotating said air circulating means in either direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UN TED STATES PATENTS 

